Largest simulation ever could reveal origin of universe

Humanity still knows very little about the universe. Although we know the existence of many planets, galaxies, black holes and stars in the universe, a fundamental question still remains valid: How and when did we get here?

A new simulation promises to answer this question. It was called the FLAMINGO project, which is an acronym for “hydroelectric simulations of large-scale structures with sky mapping for the interpretation of next-generation observations.” This comprehensive research relies on huge computing power that can simulate billions of elements in the universe..

“To make this simulation possible, we developed a new code, SWIFT, that efficiently distributes computational work across 30,000 CPUs,” said astronomer Matthieu Schaller of Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Among the various simulations performed by computers, the largest of these has more than 300 billion particles with the mass of a small galaxy, arranged in a cubic volume of space with sides spanning 10 billion lunar years.z. These dimensions, almost inconceivable to any human, are an unprecedented achievement for science and could help unravel mysteries about the origin of our universe.

The studies were published in three articles. The first explained the method, the second presented simulations, and the third presented results describing the structure of the universe in cold dark matter.

Voltage S8

Sigma 8, or S8, used as one of the parameters in the third article, is a method used by astronomers to describe how irregular or tight clusters are. is matter organized by the universe and can be measured using microradiation. It is possible to understand the distant universe using these. The fact of mapping large distances in this way makes it possible to obtain information about the history of the universe.

The value of S8 can also be measured using standard cosmology simulations. When there is a discrepancy between measurements and theoretical representations, the so-called S8 voltage occurs.

These measurements are important for understanding the role of dark matter and ordinary matter in the universe, as well as their arrangement and effects on gravity, one of the biggest debates in today’s scientific community.

“Although dark matter dominates gravity, the influence of ordinary matter can no longer be ignored, as this contribution may be similar to deviations between models and observations,” said study leader and astronomer Joop Schaye, also from Leiden University.

Next steps of the simulation It could be decisive in understanding the motion of the universe and the arrangement of matter in far-flung places.It may reveal answers about our past.

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